


Can I Be Him?

by simpforhugfia (starry_yoonjin)



Category: Sofia the First (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bittersweet Ending, F/M, Love at First Sight, One Shot, Song Lyrics, basically angst but it's pretty cute and sweet idk, contains very minor cursing i guess, hugo's fussy with time, sofia's a singer, they're in their 20s don't sue me, this is a songfic and the song is sad what do you expect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26630620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starry_yoonjin/pseuds/simpforhugfia
Summary: Hugo hates tardy performers, but there might be an exception to that tonight.
Relationships: Hugo/Sofia the First
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Can I Be Him?

The dark-haired boy idly drums his fingers on the wooden table in a consistent rhythm, his other hand cradling his chin. He glances every few seconds at the clock, which now reads 9:10 PM. He sighs frustratedly and rolls his eyes.

Hugo is bored.

James knows. He sees it coming when his friend opens his mouth, says the words he's been expecting to hear,

"Where the hell is she?"

The blond boy shrugs with confident ease. He's shrugged many times before in his life. It's like a habit now, but it gets the ladies, so he isn't complaining. "Beats me."

"Isn't this unprofessional behavior? If you're a performer, you have to be on time. It's been ten minutes. Is she even gonna show up at all?"

James's eyes flash darkly for a moment, and Hugo regrets what he said in an instant. "My sister is many things, Hugo," he begins, voice icy, "but never unprofessional or undedicated. She loves performing. If she isn't on that stage yet, there's a good reason. Trust me."

"Fine, fine, sorry. But she better be out soon."

"She will be," James answers confidently.

Amber, the twin sister of James, comes back to their table with drinks. There's only two, though, because Amber doesn't drink alcohol. She sniffs disdainfully as the two males mutter a hurried "thanks" before quickly starting to gulp down their beer, finishing it in a matter of seconds.

She crosses her arms and scoffs. "Boys," she drawls in an irritated and tired tone.

Suddenly, most of the other lights in the restaurant bar go out, just as some of the stage lights flare on, blinding white and yellow for a good five seconds.

Then, _she_ appears from the left side of the stage, looking embarrassed.

_**You walked into the room and now my heart's been stolen** _

Short brown hair that's styled nicely bounces just above her shoulder as she walks, framing her pretty face that radiates innocence and youth, kindness and compassion. She reaches the chair behind the microphone and sits down neatly on it, adjusting the mic and the guitar strap around one of her shoulders. She then looks up at the crowd and smiles, and it's thunderstorms cuddled up inside and sunny days at the beach, it's barren trees in winter and flowers blooming in spring, it's movie marathons and summer picnics and falling from airplanes and butterflies fluttering in your stomach before they fill up your whole being, it's warm hands held tightly together that never let go. It's magnificent, and she is shining, enchanting, pure, _beautiful._

_**You took me back in time to when I was unbroken** _

"Hi everyone, my name is Sofia. Sorry I'm late, I had a bit of a problem with my guitar earlier, but it's all good now!" She laughs, half sheepish, half reassuring, and Hugo thinks it's his favorite sound in the world.

**_Now you're all I want, and I knew it from the very first moment_ **

"The song I'll be singing today is for my boyfriend. He couldn't make it here today," the room gives a collective _aww,_ because no one can help being immediately enamoured by this girl, and Hugo hears James whisper grouchily beside him, "That bastard."

Sofia chuckles a little again at their reaction. "But it's okay. I'm still dedicating this song to him." 

The rest of the stage lights come on, and she starts strumming her guitar.

**_'Cause the light came on when I heard that song, and I want you to sing it again_ **

She begins to sing, and Hugo realizes that he made a slight error. He has _two_ favorite sounds in the world: Sofia's laughs, and her singing.

"Only fools rush in..."

"But I can't help falling in love with you."

_**I swear that every word you sing, you wrote them for me** _

"Shall I stay... would it be a sin?"

"Why couldn't we get a better table?" Amber grumbles. "I don't think Sofia can even see us. We're her siblings, for Pete's sake!"

"We _could've_ gotten a better table," James hisses, narrowing his eyes at her as he crosses his arms. "But _someone_ was taking too long trying to decide which damn jewelry set to wear!"

"Excuse me? Trying to be fashionable isn't a crime!" Amber defends, and James rolls his eyes.

"It is if you want to be on time, idiot."

"You're so annoying."

"Right back at ya."

Hugo tunes out the rest of their bickering, focusing solely on Sofia and her sweet, heavenly voice, paired with her flawless guitar playing. Her voice isn't too high that it's annoying. It's just right. It's perfect, like everything else about her, just the way she is.

Who even is he to be thinking this way? She doesn't know him. He doesn't know her. But he tries to convince himself that that's not the case. It lessens the pang in his chest somewhat. It helps.

**_Like it was a private show, but I know you never saw me_ **

"Take my hand... take my whole life, too."

"For I can't help falling in love with you," they sing at the same time, one for the other and the other for someone who's not even there to hear it.

Before he knows it, the song ends. Hugo blinks, coming out of his daze as he hears the crowd's wild applause, James and Amber screaming the loudest. Sofia spots them, and then it happens.

She and Hugo lock eyes.

It's brief. A second. A moment. A heartbeat. It's more than enough to seal Hugo's fate.

He thinks maybe she gives him a small smile. Maybe. Just maybe. It would be funny how he holds on to those two words as if they were his lifeline if it weren't so painfully true.

Then the second passes, the moment vanishes, the heartbeat becomes history, but it doesn't. It's already engraved in Hugo's entire existence for all eternity, staying there in all the lifetimes after this one.

Sofia smiles widely, waving happily at the crowd as she thanks them repeatedly for their warm response. Perhaps it is a first that everyone begs for another song instead of her asking if they want one, but she sighs and says she could only sing a single song for them tonight.

**_When the lights come on, and I'm on my own, will you be there to sing it again?_ **

Naturally, they all get sad and disappointed, like humans do when they don't get what they want. But she is quick to cheer them up once more when she informs them that she _may_ have time for one short little story about her boyfriend.

Hugo listens. Not because he wants to hear about it, but because he adores her voice, especially when she narrates her story. It pitches a bit higher; her eyes sparkle with love and she glows with euphoria as she tells them all about her last date with her beloved, oh so caring boyfriend.

For some reason, Hugo doubts that last part. It might be in the way she says it. There's a flicker of doubt and hesitance there, or so he likes to think. It might just be him trying to find an imperfection in their relationship to dwell upon and criticize. It might just be that he's going crazy. However, his gut tells him otherwise, and it has never lied to him before.

Whatever it is, though, Hugo already hates the guy. Doesn't he know how truly lucky he is to be the one Sofia loves so dearly?

**_Can I be the one you talk about in all your stories?_ **

The story ends, and so does her time with them, like all good things do. She waves goodbye to the crowd, and they are both satisfied and left wanting more at the same time. Before she leaves the stage, she gives the crowd one last smile and blows a kiss at them then giggles playfully, just as Hugo becomes certain of one thing.

He watches as Sofia disappears, but he doesn't feel sad. No, he feels lighter than ever, like he's walking on air, his heart cheering and beating with newfound knowledge, because he knows that he would do anything to be in her boyfriend's precious place.

Abruptly, it all fades away with a single thought, and out of nowhere, it's as if he's drowning, sinking in a quicksand of crushing thoughts and burning questions, the most prominent among them being the very one that preceded their conceptualization.

_Will he ever be able to get there?_

**_Can I be him?_ **

**Author's Note:**

> amber is a mood tbh
> 
> the title of the song here (the lyrics are in bold italics) is Can I Be Him by James Arthur. it's a beautiful but sad song and i love it so i decided to base this one shot off of it.
> 
> anyways, my friends and i were fangirling over hugfia and this happened lol. steph, rain, yami, and yesa, i dedicate this to you gays ♡♡♡ long live hugfia!!


End file.
